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Fifty students at Berkeley High were caught in an attendance fraud that Principal Pasquale Scuderi made public this week. Four students had illicitly obtained the password to the school’s attendance database, and had charged other students to clear absences. Two of the students are being considered for expulsion and 32 suspensions of between one and five days have been issued.

Berkeleyside covered these stories and much more this week. We know from the hundreds of comments and feedback we get directly that many of you are deeply engaged with Berkeleyside. If you want to help Berkeleyside thrive, please consider supporting us and local, independent journalism by becoming a subscriber.

Did anyone else think of Ferris Bueller when reading about the students who obtained the attendance password? Instead of punishing these kids, why not tell them they could better use their skills working for Google or the CIA? The 1-5 day suspensions are hardly punishment – why not have the kids volunteer at local elementary schools, or middle schools. Or better yet, improve the security on your attendance system so this doesn’t happen again. Come on faculty, be creative. These kids were….

http://berkeley.accountableschools.com/ Berkeley Accountable Schools

Let’s not exaggerate. They shoulder surfed, which requires no particular skill or creativity.

Also, the compulsory volunteering that you suggest is oxymoronic, at best. It most definitely would be a punishment for the younger children in the elementary/middle schools — they need positive role models and do not deserve to have their schools turned into rehabilitation facilities for high schoolers who should have known better.